THE INSIDERS: Big Decision Impact

You need a scorecard to add up all the possible candidates who might want to run for Iowa Senator Tom Harkin’s seat in 2014.

Harkin announced Saturday he would retire in 2014 after five terms in the senate and 40 years overall in congress. On Channel 13’s “The Insiders”, Scott Brennan, a former Iowa Democratic Party Chairman, and Dave Kochel, Mitt Romney’s 2012 Iowa Campaign Senior Adviser, did a rapid fire run-through of the list.

For Brennan, talking about replacing Harkin is personal. He met his wife, Liz, while the two worked for Harkin.

The two insiders rate how likely each of 16 most-mentioned Republicans and Democrats are to run for the senate seat. The list contains far more Republicans, 11, than Democrats, 5, at this point. But many Democrats had expected Harkin to run for a sixth seat, instead of announcing his retirement.

Both men believe 3rd District Congressman Tom Latham is the most serious big name Republican to consider a run. They also believe 1st District Bruce Braley is the most serious big name Democrat who might run.